Sony has officially confirmed that it’s bringing its Xperia P smartphone to Australia (as rumored not long ago). The handset will be available at Telstra soon, being offered for free on plans starting at $49 per month. Customers will also have the option to buy it unlocked (via Dick Smith’s and Sony Centre stores) for $449.

Another new Sony smartphone that’s being released in Australia is the smaller Xperia U. This will be available at Crazy John’s, for free on monthly plans starting at $15. Unlocked, the Xperia U will cost $299.

(Xperia P and Xperia U)

Both the Sony Xperia P and Sony Xperia U currently run Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Official updates to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich should arrive starting next month (July).